Spectacled Warbler

Curruca conspicillata

Introduction

A cousin of the Whitethroat, this dainty warbler breeds around the Mediterranean and on some Atlantic islands. Spectacled Warbler is an extremely rare visitor to Britain, with just a handful of records.

Key Stats

Status

Very rare

Weight

10g

Seasonality

<1%

BTO Records

229 records

Population and distribution stats for:

No data

No current data

No current data

No data

No current data

No current data

Status and Trends

Population size, trends and patterns of distribution based on BTO and partnership surveys and atlasses with data collected by BTO volunteers.

Conservation Status

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This species can be found on the following statutory and conservation listings and schedules.

Species of European Conservation Concern

Least Concern

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (global)

Least Concern

Schedule 1 Licence required (to disturb)*

Birds Directive Annex 1

* A guide only. Check details with the original legislation, especially those marked with an asterisk. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Size

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BOU Category

Source

First Record*

North Yorkshire, 1992

* First documented occurrence. Most species undoubtedly occurred before this. See About Birdfacts for more information.

Population Change

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Population trends of this scarce species are not routinely monitored.

Distribution

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This species is a rare vagrant and was recorded during Bird Atlas 2007–11 as shown on the map.

Occupied 10-km squares in UK

These figures come from Bird Atlas 2007 and indicate how widespread a species is.

No. occupied in breeding season

% occupied in breeding season

0.03%

Bird Atlas distribution maps show where bird species breed or winter in Britain and Ireland. For breeding maps, larger dots indicate higher certainty the species bred in that area.

Breeding Distribution for Spectacled Warbler

Click the map to enlarge,
or view it on Bird Atlas Mapstore.

To view and download up-to-date distribution information aggregated from across BTO and partnership surveys and schemes, see our data holdings on the NBN Atlas.

European Distribution Map

European Breeding Bird Atlas 2

Distribution Change

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This vagrant is too rarely reported to map distribution change.

Seasonality

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Spectacled Warbler is a very rare vagrant with recent records being in late spring.

Weekly pattern of occurrence

The graph shows when the species is present in the UK, with taller bars indicating a higher likelihood of encountering the species in appropriate regions and habitats.

Phenology graph — Weekly occurrence patterns (shaded cells and reporting rates (vertical bars) based on BirdTrack data. Reporting rates give the likelihood of encountering the species each week.

Movement

Information about Spectacled Warbler movements and migration based on online bird portals (e.g. BirdTrack), Ringing schemes and tracking studies.

Britain & Ireland movement

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View a summary of recoveries in the Online Ringing Report

European movements

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EuroBirdPortal uses birdwatcher's records, such as those logged in BirdTrack to map the flows of birds as they arrive and depart Europe. See maps for this species here.

Biology

Lifecycle and body size information for Spectacled Warbler, including statistics on nesting, eggs and lifespan based on BTO ringing and nest recording data.

Survival and Longevity

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Survival is shown as the proportion of birds surviving from one year to the next and is derived from bird ringing data. It can also be used to estimate how long birds typically live.

Classification, names and codes

Taxonomy, names and species codes for Spectacled Warbler

Classification and Codes

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Order: Passeriformes
Family: Sylviidae
Scientific name: Curruca conspicillata
Authority: Temminck, 1820

BTO 2-letter code: VY
BTO 5-letter code: SPEWA
Euring code number: 12640

Alternate species names

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Catalan: tallarol trencamates
Czech: penice brýlatá
Danish: Brillesanger
Dutch: Brilgrasmus
Estonian: kõnnu-põõsalind
Finnish: pikkupensaskerttu
French: Fauvette à lunettes

German: Brillengrasmücke
Hungarian: törpeposzáta
Icelandic: Glámsöngvari
Italian: Sterpazzola della Sardegna
Latvian: brillu kaukis
Lithuanian: akiniuotoji devynbalse
Norwegian: Maskesanger

Polish: pokrzewka okularowa
Portuguese: toutinegra-tomilheira
Slovak: penica okuliarnatá
Slovenian: osocnikova penica
Spanish: Curruca tomillera
Swedish: glasögonsångare

More Evidence

More evidence from Conservation Evidence.com

Partners

Birdfacts is based on data collected by volunteers participating in surveys that are organised and funded by BTO, RSPB, Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, JNCC and other partners.

BTO

Esmée Fairbairn Foundation

JNCC

RSPB

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